The Ohio State Buckeyes’ star receiver Carnell Tate certainly has the tools that make his draft outlook very solid. He also has decent numbers added to his 2025 season’s outing behind Jeremiah Smith.
His case was made strong by Dan Orlovsky, who evaluated Tate’s potential to be the first receiver off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. He also made clear that the Ohio State standout still carries one major projection question. As early mock drafts continue to elevate wideouts, Tate has emerged as one of the defining names in the class.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky Compares Carnell Tate to George Pickens, Raises Key Concern
That conversation picked up during Orlovsky’s recent ESPN appearance, where analysts discussed a receiver-heavy mock from ESPN’s Field Yates projecting nine wideouts in the first two rounds and six Round 1 pass-catchers in the class. With the Buckeyes once again producing another premium draft prospect, Orlovsky offered a scouting view that mixed praise with caution.
Orlovsky, meanwhile, said he is on board with Tate being viewed that highly, especially because of the traits that consistently show up on film.
“I’m comfortable with it. I think that when you watch Carnell play, there’s remnants of George Pickens in his game. long, lengthy, and body control, and the way that he can track a football. He’s not necessarily this route running savant. I don’t believe he’s gonna just torch people vertically with his speed,” said Orlovsky.
The former NFL QB added: “But when you think of George Pickens, it’s the catch the contested catches, make the strong-handed catches with the defender draping over you, the leaping ability with the ball while the ball is in the air. think that Tate showed that this past season.”
That comparison speaks to the kind of receiver Tate has become at Ohio State, a boundary target who wins with size, timing, catch radius, and body control more than pure track speed.
On the PFSN Consensus Big Board, Tate is ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class. The Ohio State wide receiver stands 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, carries a 90.62 grade, and is currently projected as a first-round pick.
Tate’s huge production backed that up too, as he followed a 52-catch, 733-yard, four-touchdown 2024 campaign with 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine scores in 2025. Across three seasons in Columbus, he totaled 121 catches for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns while helping the Buckeyes win a national title in 2024.
Still, Orlovsky’s biggest hesitation was less about talent and more about role translation. At Ohio State, Tate played alongside elite talent, most notably Jeremiah Smith, which naturally changes how defenses distribute attention.
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“I guess the biggest question that I have is, is he truly ready?” said Orlovsky. “Cause when you’re drafted in the top 10 to be the one, he played opposite Jeremiah Smith, who’s going to be maybe the number one pick in the NFL draft next year, certainly consideration for top five. He benefited off of that. That’s my question. Is he ready to step in and have everybody else benefit off him?”
It is safe to say that is the real draft deliberation around Tate now. His skill set, frame, and ball skills have already made him a projected first-rounder, and several evaluators view him as a top-10 talent. The next step is proving he can transition from thriving within a loaded Ohio State offense to becoming the player an NFL passing game is built around.
